1. Field of the Invention
The instant disclosure relates to method and apparatus for remotely activating destruction of window glass. More specifically, the disclosure relates to a method for identifying an exigent event necessitating remote destruction of a glass window and remotely activating such destruction.
2. Description of Related Art
In the event of an emergency it is often necessary to break or crush a glass window as such windows cannot be opened manually. In other cases, the window frame may be jammed or somehow blocked rendering it impossible or impractical for manual opening. For example, in the case of intense smoke from a fire, it may be necessary to open the window to ask for help, to get fresh air or simply to escape. Similarly, in an event of a car crash where the doors of the vehicle remain locked, the passenger's only means of escape may be through the window. In such cases waiting for help to arrive and break the window from the outside may mean the difference of life and death.
Most buildings and vehicles may have small hammers and other blunt objects within the patrons access which can be used for breaking the glass window in the even of an emergency. In addition, furniture and other physical objects can be used for this purpose. These methods pose several problems.
First, even where there are physical tools available for destroying the glass, the act of breaking requires a physical, human intervention. That is, an individual must physically endeavor to break the window. In the event that there is a pet inside of a smoke-filled room, absent human intervention from the outside, the pet is unable to define an exit strategy by physically breaking the window.
Second, the act of breaking the window requires a tool which may not be available. For example, the tool may be misplaced, stolen or removed for security reasons. In the case of an individual trapped inside a vehicle, smoke from a vehicle fire can enter the passenger compartment rather rapidly endangering the passenger's life absent quick action. If a hammer or other blunt objects is not immediately available, the passenger may not be able to free herself.
Third, the physical act of breaking the window may not be possibly for certain people. For example, small children, the elderly or the handicap may not be physically strong enough to break the glass using a hammer or other blunt objects.
Therefore, there is a need for a method and apparatus for remotely activating destruction of glass window.